All articles tagged with #carplay
Twelve South has released the AirFly Drive, a $39.99 aluminum adapter that converts factory-wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto into wireless connections. The device plugs into a vehicle's USB port, pairs with up to two smartphones, and automatically reconnects upon ignition. It requires no app or account and is compatible with vehicles from 2014 onward.
Twelve South has released the AirFly Drive, a $39.99 aluminum adapter that converts factory-wired CarPlay and Android Auto into a wireless connection. The device plugs into a vehicle's USB port, pairs with up to two phones, and automatically reconnects upon ignition. It requires no app or account and is compatible with vehicles from 2014 onward.
Twelve South has released the AirFly Drive, a $39.99 aluminum adapter that enables wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in vehicles with factory-wired support. The device plugs into a USB port, pairs via Bluetooth, and uses Wi-Fi for data transmission, eliminating the need for a physical cable. It supports two paired phones with a single-button switch and offers automatic reconnection upon vehicle startup. Available in black and white, the accessory requires no app or account and is compatible with iPhones running iOS 10 or newer.
Twelve South has released the AirFly Drive, a $39.99 aluminum adapter that converts factory-wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto into a wireless connection. The device plugs into a vehicle’s USB port and pairs with a smartphone via Bluetooth, using 5.8GHz Wi-Fi for data transmission. It supports two paired phones with a single-button switch, requires no app or account, and automatically reconnects when the car starts. Compatible with vehicles from 2014 onward, it is available in black and white.
iOS 27 brings major CarPlay upgrades: Siri AI with improved contextual answers and conversations that sync to the iPhone Siri app; developers can now create in-car video apps for CarPlay in cars that support the feature; a new MiniPlayer, enhanced audio scrubbing, and a larger progress indicator; refreshed CarPlay icons and wallpapers, plus broader UI design updates across the interface.
Automakers are quietly moving away from Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to take full control of their infotainment systems and the ad revenue they can generate, with estimates up to $625 billion. BMW and other brands are shifting toward in-house software, while Tesla and Rivian continue with their own systems, signaling a potential end to the era of external platform domination.
Apple’s iOS 27 adds a beta Cafari app that lets you stream YouTube directly on CarPlay, available only when the car is parked and automatically disabled once the speed exceeds 25 mph. Netflix and Prime Video aren’t supported due to browser restrictions. Setup requires a TestFlight beta, and while the feature offers a smoother YouTube experience on CarPlay, users have reported minor quirks (like a green video border) that are expected to be refined in future updates. Safety remains a priority, with strict safeguards to prevent driving distractions.
iOS 27 brings major CarPlay updates, including support for third‑party widgets, an audio scrubbing progress bar with a persistent mini‑player, Apple Music filters, and Maps improvements, plus new Celosia wallpapers and better wireless reliability. However, features like AirPlay video in CarPlay and route sharing to a car screen require automaker support, so many cars won’t have them yet; Siri AI enhancements also depend on compatible iPhones and enrollment waitlists.
GM's preview of updated Silverado and Sierra dashboards shows a split-screen CarPlay/Android Auto UI, suggesting CarPlay could return to GM EVs after years of a GM/Google co-developed system. GM says the new interface is built on a single scalable foundation across gas, diesel and electric vehicles, with the split-screen design keeping navigation and vehicle controls visible. The update references updated CarPlay/Android Auto for the 2027 gas Sierra and Silverado 1500s, but GM has given no confirmation about EV plans beyond these models, leaving the question of CarPlay's fate in GM’s electric lineup unresolved.
GM revamps its infotainment with a higher-contrast UI and will integrate Apple CarPlay and Android Auto alongside native apps, signaling a shift away from the prior plan to drop them; the update kicks off in trucks before expanding, while the digest also reports Land Rover using Stellantis for a U.S.-built Defender pickup to dodge the Chicken Tax, Toyota Highlander’s next-generation EV delay pushing into 2027 with the current gas model ending by year-end, BMW adding 3D ADAS visualizations, Waymo planning a Tokyo autonomous taxi launch by 2027, and a costly Fiat 500 restomod in the UK.
GM will debut a split-screen infotainment UI in the 2027 Silverado and Sierra that lets CarPlay and Android Auto run alongside the vehicle’s gauges on a large display, keeping support for gas-powered GM vehicles while exploring more deeply integrated software experiences.
GM is updating the software in its Silverado and Sierra trucks to display CarPlay and Android Auto inside a large picture‑in‑picture card, while keeping GM’s native infotainment for trailering and other controls. The 2027 Silverado 1500 and Sierra 1500 will launch with the new UI later this year for new customers, featuring bigger buttons, smoother transitions, and trailer‑aware navigation; existing owners will keep the older interface. The move marks GM’s return to phone mirroring in its trucks after years of not supporting CarPlay/Android Auto in EVs, aiming to reduce distractions and improve usability on the trucks’ expansive screens.
iOS 27 drops tomorrow (Sept 14) with eight new features led by a ChatGPT-like Siri AI (restricted to iPhone 15 Pro+ and English initially), plus broader Apple Intelligence tools, faster app launches and photo loads, iPhone Handoff across two devices with the same number, US-only Apple Cash bill-splitting, configurable Find My location sharing, and CarPlay video apps. Compatible with iPhone 11 and newer, but some features are gated by device and region (EU rollout to come).
GM is removing Apple CarPlay (and Android Auto) from its latest EVs and plans to drop CarPlay from gas models around 2028 when it rolls out its own centralized Android Automotive-based system, aiming for deeper in-car integration and data control—including EV charging-aware navigation—without relying on a smartphone. CarPlay Ultra remains a broader cockpit solution but is slow to spread and currently requires an iPhone, with Aston Martin offering it so far and other brands showing interest. Despite CarPlay’s broad availability today, GM’s move signals a shift toward native software ecosystems and ongoing data-privacy considerations.
Apple CarPlay now supports Meta AI as the fourth third‑party AI chatbot, joining ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Grok, though Meta AI on CarPlay is in limited testing and may show “Not supported” for some accounts; Siri AI is slated to join CarPlay with iOS 27, with beta testing underway ahead of September’s launch.